The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1887-04-21
SHOT HIMSELF.
Lieut.. Dannenh0ur Ends His
Eventful Career.
MENTAL TROUBLE THE CAUSE.
A Fair Proposition-Ths Bothersoms
Law-The Turf-A Live Queen
1T the Bay.
Suicide.

SuIClOcs
ANNAPOLIS, Nd, April 20.-Lieuten-
ant John W. Dannenhour, Arctic e1-
plorer, shot and killed himself at the
Naval Academy this morning. He had
mental trouble after he came back from
the Arctic region. He was found lying
on his rug in front of his fire place with
tag tied to his button hole, saying.
"Send to my brother at Washington. y
Although he has had mental troubles
since he returned from the Arctic re-
gion, what immediately led to the sui
eide is thought to have been the recent
grounding of the Constellation. on its way
to Norfolk, which he had charge OF and
for which 1t is supposed he had fear of
being courtmartialed. Furthermore, he
was very intimate with young Robert
Gatewood, who recently committed sui.
eide on the Carolina and whom he saw
in death. 1t is supposed the death sug-
gested the mode to him. His wife,
formerly Miss Sloane, of New York, is
away with her parents. Lieutenant
Dannenhour leaves two children. He
was about 80 years old, and an intelli-
gent and polished officer.
Lieutenant Dannenhour' career was
an eventful one. He was born 81
years ago, in Illinois, and entered the
naval service in 1866. He was attached
to the Vandaka during her cruise
in the Mediterranean in '76, when Cen
eral Grant, with his family were on
board and visited the Holy Land. 1t
was before this cruise that the ieuten-
ant, through his conduct, began to show
signs of an unbalanced mind, and his
malady soon assumed form so violent
that in rs, after he mad been found
wandering in a North Carolina wilder
ness, his friends deemed it expedient
to secure proper treatment for him
by combining him for about three
months at st. Elizabeth's Insane
Asylum. He was among the first of
the officers who volunteered to go upon
the Jeanette Arctic expedition.
On July 7th, 1879. the Jeannette sailed
from San Francisco on the north polar
expedition. The last communication
from the vessel was dated Cape
Sertzekamen, Siberia, September I'd,
1879 Although she was afterwards seen
off Wrangei Land. The cruising of
the Jeanette in pack ice, the separation
the officers and crew. the starvation of
Lieutenant Chips boat and the ter
rible sufferings and final rescue of Mel
ville's party, are matters of his
tory. In the final separation of the
boats. belong placed Dannenhour
under Melville's command, for the rea-
son, as the lieutenant said in his re-
port, that he was partially disabled by
the condition of his eyes. Naval OFF,
GERS, however. maintain that it was
Dannenhour's wise seamRnship and
skillful handling of the whaleboat, not
withstanding his partial blindness, that
the safe landing of the crew was due.
Melville and Dannenhouer were the only
surviving officers of the expedition.
When Dannenhouer returned to the
United States, in 1882, The was placed on
waiting orders during the progress of
the official inquiry into the loss OF the
Jeanette, and afterwards was granted
q years leave of absence. During this
time he delivered a number of lectures
in different parts of the country. In
September, 1884, he was assigned to
duty at Annapolis. as assistant COM
mander of cadets, whichsstation he held
at the time of his death.